Parents: News cameraman in good spirits despite Ebola

NEW YORK — The parents of an American freelance cameraman diagnosed with Ebola say their son is in good spirits.

Ashoka Mukpo (uh-SHOH’-kuh MOOK’-poh) was hired Tuesday to be the second cameraman in Liberia for NBC’s chief medical editor and correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman. Mukpo was being flown to the U.S. for treatment.

His parents, Diana Mukpo and Dr. Mitchell Levy, of Providence, Rhode Island, appeared Friday on NBC’s “Today” show.

Levy says Mukpo has been involved with human rights work in West Africa for several years. He says his son was well aware of the risks but felt compelled to go back to Liberia when the Ebola crisis erupted.

ABC News says Levy issued a statement saying doctors were optimistic about his son’s prognosis.